Leaders, ask your staff what they hate about their jobs

I have never really considered myself a leader. I just always try to help out where I can and help others see that they can do what they didn’t think they could.

A lot of people can do that. What I have really found is that it is more about letting people know it is all right to talk about the bad, the negative, the things they don’t like. If you can’t get people to open up  ...

Back 9 biz bites: A thankful stock market

Cool links about startups, entrepreneurs, and random stuff for Wednesday, November 21:

1. Happy Thanksgiving! Stock market ends on two-week high.
2. Thanksgiving talking points: what to avoid.
3. Competing with Twitter, Storify launches redesign.
4. Google brings indoor maps to desktop Web broswers.
5. Hostess to be liquidated after all.
6. An electric motor without rare earths.
7. Private moon mission is glimpse of the  ...
   November 22, 2012 | 5:48pm EST

Hendrick Boards' wild ride into small business

Skateboarders—as it turns out—are animal lovers too. Just ask David "Hendrick" Hendrickson, who came up with the idea for Hendrick Boards, an eco-friendly skateboard and apparel shop four, years ago at a low point in his life.

His rescue puppy William, whose mother was poisoned after swallowing household chemicals, was suffering from an immune disease, leaving Hendrickson with over $20,000 in  ...

It’s Thanksgiving, so give me something to be thankful for

It’s Thanksgiving, and for a variety of reasons, some people are taking this time to ask for money. That’s right, even on Turkey Day people are turning to Kickstarter, IndieGogo, and GoFundMe—the three best-known crowdfunding sites in the United States—in need of resources. And we wanted to learn why and see what makes them successful.

Over the course of our reporting for the following  ...

Cover your bases before dropping out of college to start a business

Thinking about dropping out of college to run a business? Some of the most familiar names in the technology world did: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerburg all dropped out. I almost dropped out myself.

Almost.

In 2006, I had a lot going on. I had recently moved into a fraternity house with 32 other guys and started my sophomore year. I also launched my own email marketing business in  ...

The fine art of giving feedback

Whether you’re an employee, manager, or entrepreneur, the people you work with will make mistakes at some point—and you’ll have to address them.

When you recognize an issue or problem, giving feedback is the clearest, quickest way to encourage a change in behavior. It can help a coworker focus on the key areas he or she needs to work on. Plus, many people are motivated or inspired by  ...

The Day's Deals: Time Warner bets on online video

The UPtake: A company that makes absurd videos is the apple of Time Warner's eye. And a company working on bringing new energy online prepares for its day in the sun. Here's the roundup.

Maker Studios, a Los Angeles startup that makes and delivers video clips over YouTube for Time Warner, is raising a big round, with the media giant's Time Warner Investments kicking in $40 million. (AllThingsD)  ...

NATIONAL RADAR

• Boston: He killed on Kickstarter, then had to go back to drawing board"> Boston: He killed on Kickstarter, then had to go back to drawing board
• Washington: 500 Startups eyes India
• San Jose: Suit confirms Apple bought Color Labs
• San Francisco: Motiv gets deal to take Chicago garbage trucks electric
• Austin: Whole Foods ups buyback plan

Trending

• Richard Branson digs Nasty Gal tattoo

• Startup AC/DC: Learn, build, metal

• Shipping tips for e-commerce startups

Hot Shots

• 

  So, Mr. Suster, tell us how you really feel about entrepreneurship

• 

  The Upstart Q&A: Barbara Corcoran, the smiling shark

• 

  Tech out with Mario Armstrong

Feedback Loop

• Customers speak: Don’t retail me on Thanksgiving 6 comments
• The verdict isn't good for Myspace's Spotify-like relaunch plan 4 comments
• 3 pieces of startup advice that actually matter 4 comments
• vWorker gets a new 'boss' with Freelancer.com 4 comments
• How surviving a failed tech startup helped me build my companies better 2 comments

Upstart Particulars

• What We're About
• Who We Are
• How to Reach Us